All cameras are speeding.>>Do me and Miz look taller than Jay? Yeah?
Okay.>>[LAUGH]
>>I’ll slouch. I’ll slouch, Jay.>>Maybe you should just stand. [MUSIC]>>What is up, WWE Universe? Cathy Kelley here, joined by
an incredible group of WWE Superstars. Today we are celebrating the 40-year
history of the intercontinental championship. And who better to celebrate
that workhorse championship with than Randy Orton,
Christian, and the Miz. Three men who have held that title and
brought back prestige to the IC title. So, just overview of the championship. What does it mean for you, specifically?>>It’s kind of what got
the ball rolling with my career. I knew, I believe it was in 2003,
it was Rob Van Dam. I think it was December of 2003
at a pay-per-view, I beat Rob, got the IC title, around my waist. And it was like, okay, here we go. Now, I know that I am here and
I can hang with the big boys.>>I mean, really propelled your career
because even though the WWE Universe was definitely behind you at that time,
it kickstarted everything for you.>>Yeah, 100%. I think that’s kind of how it goes. When you somebody that you is gonna
be something in this business, the power to be. They kinda look to push
towards the IC title and then give them a chance
to show what he can do.>>Yeah. And so
many superstars started their careers with an intercontinental championship reign. You sort of held it several times.>>Yeah.
>>But what does it mean for you as well?>>Well, first of all, when you said
brought prestige back to the international championship, and you pointed to the Miz,
I almost threw my.>>[LAUGH]
>>Just gonna say that right now.>>I noticed that too.>>[LAUGH] But the-
>>I mean, he does have a win over you for that.>>I’m sure-
>>My first win. My first intercontinental title
win was against this guy.>>Yeah, so for me,
growing up a huge WWE fan, I was drawn to
the intercontinental championship. The look of it. The aesthetic’s of it, and
the superstars that held it. My earliest memories are of Macho Man,
Randy Savage having it. The Honky Tonk Man, Tito Santana
beating Greg The Hammer Valentine for it, and Valentine destroying
the intercontinental championship. And then bringing that kind
of newer design to it.>>Well, speaking of newer designs,
I don’t think anyone has ever actually seen this, but this was held
by Tito Santana back in the day.>>Yeah, right, and then-
>>In the 80s, I believe. Yeah, so for me,
it was an attainable thing. My goal was to be a wrestler, to be
a WWE Superstar, that’s what I wanted. And when I looked at superstars that
were intercontinental champions, I felt like I can be their size. You didn’t have to be, like at that
time the world heavyweight champion, whoever held that title
seemed to be a huge presence. And I knew that I would never be that big,
so.>>You’re pretty big presence, Jay.>>I meant physically.>>[LAUGH]
>>I think you’re big physically.>>Yeah, physically you’re big.>>[LAUGH] So, in Toronto, the old Maple
Leaf Gardens, Edge and I, we used to get the same tickets every time we went to
a show and it’s right along the alley. And I’ll never forget the Texas
Tornado Kerry Von Erich came out, he was the intercontinental champion,
and he saw us there cheering them on. And he came over, and he held the intercontinental championship
over the rail in front of us. And we actually had our hands on it,
and touched it. And we looked at each other and we’re like, we just touched
the intercontinental championship. And then years later, to go on and
become an intercontinental champion, and to beat Edge for
my first intercontinental championship.>>I was gonna say, full circle. Yeah.
>>And to me, growing up, it seemed to me that, that was the guy that was
preparing to take the next step. And for me to get that,
it felt like I was on my way to becoming bigger, and taking further steps
that I needed in my career. And the intercontinental championship
was the starting point for that.>>Yeah, I mean, when you talk about
legends, and WWE Hall of Famers, that was the first stop in their career. You look back at incredible
intercontinental champions like Pedro Morales.>>I feel like now it’s
not like that anymore. Like the intercontinental title isn’t the
stepping stone to the WWE championship.>>Yeah.
>>Would you guys agree or?>>I do agree and I think it’s also
because, we have a champion like Brock Lesnar, he’s not there all the time,
and there’s no other superstar like Brock.>>Yeah.
>>And for me he is a special performer. And to put him out there every week makes
him more regular if that makes any sense, you know what I mean? So you can’t do that with him. So for me, when you have live events and
you have tours on these other things. The international championship needs to
have that importance that you can put it on in a main event situation. And it means something to
the fans there watching.>>Yeah, well, Miz,
I look at you and I immediately, I feel like my brain goes towards the
intercontinental championship because of the successful title
rings that you’ve had. But that was actually the last
championship that you needed to fulfill the grand slam and triple crown.>>Actually it was, I beat him for it.>>[LAUGH]
>>How many times you hold the.>>Eight.>>Yeah, it was up there.>>Second most.>>Second most.
>>Intercontinental championship reigns, and also I don’t know if you know this
but, combined days you are the second most behind Pedro Morales for
holding the title.>>Wow. How far am I away? Do you know that?>>About 20 days.>>You’re an encyclopedia. Look at you.
>>[LAUGH]>>It’s funny, on my first win for the intercontinental title was,
I think it was, what was it, rough 500?>>[CROSSTALK] RAW 1,000.>>RAW 1,000, that was it. And I got a call or I got a text from Edge telling me that
was the best match I’ve ever seen you in.>>And this guy.>>I have an effect on people,
what can I say, guys?>>That is true.>>[LAUGH]
>>Yeah, he does, that is 100%.>>We could do a whole one of these
on how awesome he is to work with.>>Yeah, yeah, yeah.>>You’re gonna make me blush, Randy.>>But yeah,
it was incredible to get that title. Just like kinda he was saying,
when I was a kid, growing up, my favorite was Ultimate Warrior.>>Yeah.>>I just loved his energy. Like when I was a child, a guy that
paints his face, is muscular, and just had this ball of energy
that I just loved it. Three clotheslines, he was done.>>Yeah.>>In a splash, that was it. And I just remember him with the title. Every color that he had, basically he
had a different color for the IC title. And so being able to hold that title
that kind of like the people I watched growing up.>>Yeah.
>>Had held, it was an honor and a privilege, and it was amazing. And I was in a time where it
kinda like through the years, it started going down where anytime a person
had the IC title they would be on a show. And they would be the person that would
lose, all the time with the title. And it was just like, he has the title,
he’ll just lose today. He’ll just lose today. He’ll just lose today.
And I was sick of that mentality because of that title meant so
much to me when I was kid growing up. And it kept getting thrown away,
thrown away, thrown away. So I just came to a point where I’ll never
forget I got drafted to SmackDown and they wouldn’t put me on the show. I was the intercontinental champion,
and I couldn’t get on the show. And they were debuting like
new SmackDown titles and new, I believe it was a new women’s title. And the one title that I
thought was prestigious, and had such a rich history
was being forgotten. And that’s how the talking smack, the infamous talking smack came where
I just went off on Daniel Bryan.>>Yeah.
>>Cuz all my frustrations that I had with this title and being the superstar
that I am, I just unleashed on Daniel.>>Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t just words. You wanted to actually make
the championship mean something again, make it must see.>>Mm-hm. So looking back,
since you guys all grew up watching this title get defended and people challenge
for this championship, were there matches specifically that stood out to you that
made you want to become a WWE superstar?>>Well, I think the one off the top of
my head, and probably on top of a lot of people’s list, it would be Ricky Steamboat
against Randy Savage at WrestleMania III. I mean, I think that’s the kinda benchmark
for Intercontinental Championship matches. I know growing up that match solidified
that I wanted to have that title at some point. And like I said, to go up and put a
classic match on that’s still talked about to this day, shows you the importance
of International Championship.>>It’s funny I watched,
believe it or not, you versus Edge. The IC title, it was the main event,
and it was like a two seg match, really long match, but
it told this amazing story. And so growing up people would always say,
watch these matches that you want to be like,
that you want to emulate if you will. And so I would always watch his, Edge, him
like a lot of superstars that people were known for being very good in the ring. And this was like a match with you and Edge where it was kind
of your comeuppance. You guys were at the world title but it was like you guys were coming
up together as the top two.>>That was probably about 2003.>>Yeah, something along those lines.
>>Or 2004, yeah.>>Yeah, and it was one of those
matches that you watch and you go, wow. Okay, these guys are putting on a clinic. And it was two new up-and-comers
that you were like ooh, you want to see what they can do. And then not only they do it,
they exceed expectations.>>When it goes back to what you were
saying about the IC champion, and able to close the show out,
and that important. And then how it is kinda
lost that as of late, and now we need to get it
back there once again. But Don Morocco, and
my dad tag together back in WWE. And I know Don was
the Intercontinental Championship, and I remember just the fact that Don Morocco
would always be over at my house. I always thought it was cool
that I had a champ in the house.>>Yeah.
>>You know what I mean? So that’s a memory that sticks out for me.>>Yeah, well, even though you
only held the championship once, you held it for over 200 days. And had an incredible feud with
Mick Foley during that time.>>Mm-hm, yeah.
>>Someone who actually never held
the intercontinental title.>>Right, right, wow, yeah,
I did work with Mick then.>>Yeah, I know it all blurs together. [LAUGH]
>>No, it really does. And some guys, they-
>>Was that the tacks in your back? Was that him?>>I think so, yeah.>>[CROSSTALK]
>>That was with Mick, cuz that’s one of my like, cuz that’s kinda the match that I think
the fans started taking me seriously.>>Yeah.
>>Because just what Mick and I put each other’s bodies through,
and Mick’s the best.>>Well,
it’s about credibility too, right?>>Right.
>>You beat a guy that has the equity in this, so to speak from his career.>>And that’s what it’s all about.>>Yeah.
>>That’s what it’s all about.>>That gave you another level of
credibility after you beat a legend like->>100%, and I was the legend killer, so it’s like if you’re going to call
yourself the legend killer and actually kill some legends. That’s exactly like you just said, that
helps me, that’s like a stepping stone, that helps me be taken seriously. I was a boy. I turned into a man when I
was able to take Mick, and make him bleed and sweat, and
wince and he did the same to me. And that was one of my favorite matches. And I completely forgot that it was
back when I was the IC champ, so that’s actually pretty, pretty funny.>>I think that was like late 2003,
early 2004.>>Yep, yep it would have been sure, yeah.>>And
just talking about credibility as well, that’s something I felt that I was
always fighting for my entire career.>>Yeah.
>>Right up to the end, I was always fighting for credibility. And two major times that happened to me were the first time that I beat Edge for
the Intercontinental Championship. He was projected to be this big star, so for me to beat him for
that gave me instant credibility. And then the second time was with Randy,
when he and I were feuding for the World Heavyweight Championship,
having a series of matches. So those to me, were the biggest moments
as far as credibility goes in my career.>>That’s incredible.>>Yeah.
>>Yeah, [INAUDIBLE].>>We’ll talk about as well. When you two had your first
Intercontinental Championship win, when you faced Christian for that title.>>I was sick that day.>>[LAUGH]
>>And I had something in my eye.>>[LAUGH]
>>And I had a twisted ankle and a broken fibula.>>You did have the broken fibula.>>Yeah.
>>I remember that.>>We were also a little
thrown off when Bret Hart came out to announce it-
>>[LAUGH]>>And talked about the prestige of that championship? [LAUGH]
>>A little bit.>>Yeah.>>[LAUGH]
>>But to have someone who has that history,
a WWE Hall of Famer come out and set the stage for you guys,
what does that mean for you?>>Well, I mean, he’s Bret Hart.>>Yeah.
[LAUGH]>>He’s, whenever you say the best of something,
it’s subjective, but he’s definitely in my mind,
top five of all time.>>Yeah.
>>And definitely same thing as far as
the Intercontinental Championship goes. So for him, for me also, a guy from
Canada, I grew up idolizing him, being from the same country to come out,
that’s huge. And like I said, it gives that
an extra special feeling that we were about do something pretty amazing.>>Yeah, it’s funny because
I’ve gotten to work with Bret Hart like when no one else
really has gotten the opportunity. Now granted, it wasn’t IC titles,
it was for the United States. I’ve actually gotten to lose
the United States Championship to Bret the Hitman Hart.>>Yeah.
>>And I’ll never forget in Toronto, mind you, which was just an absolute
eruption because the whole screw job and everything that happened, him winning
the United States title against me. It was the loudest reaction that you
could possibly want for a situation and for a guy like me, that was just bad guy,
that was always getting booed. And then to hear an audience cheer when
you lose, it’s the best thing as a heel.>>[LAUGH]
>>There’s nothing better than to hear an audience just erupt for someone else
winning the title, that isn’t you. I mean, that’s the glee that I get,
whenever I’m a heel.>>Yeah, yeah, you’re doing your job.>>Yeah, exactly.
>>Well, yeah.>>Well, you can really speak to
gaining the respect over years from the WWE Universe. [LAUGH]
>>Still trying, still working for it.>>I genuinely think you have though, and like your legacy with the Intercontinental
Championship, especially like when I was doing research for this, every single
website when I was looking at the list of greatest Intercontinental Champions, it
would have liked Pedro Morales, The Miz.>>Really?
>>It would list, yeah, so->>That’s crazy to me.>>To think that could
potentially be your legacy.>>It’s funny, it’s cocky,
arrogant, and egotistical as I give myself off to WWE,
I still don’t believe that. I always feel like, and I think a lot of superstars feel this way,
like you’re always working. You’re always trying to be better and trying to get the respect you
feel like you don’t have.>>Yeah, but
isn’t that the symbolism behind you?>>You might think so-
>>You’re the Intercontinental Champion,
the work horse champion.>>Yeah, you might think so. You might think, like if you look up
a list and see all these different names, yes, it does touch me. It goes, wow, that’s amazing.>>Yeah.
>>But still, I have this fighting spirit that
makes me go, I need to do more. I need to do better. I need to be bigger. I need to be better. I want more respect. It’s just some mentality,
something wrong with my brain. I don’t know, I don’t know if
it’s everyone that gets that.>>I think everyone’s
kind of wired that way. And I’ll say for you the first time when I
saw Miz kind of coming into the company, and I saw him backstage and
just he’s A lot to take in.>>A lot to take in.
>>[LAUGH]>>Sometimes better in small doses, right? But I honestly, and I’ve told Miz
in the past, I looked at him, said this guy wouldn’t last a year here. And he was coming from reality TV,
so he had that stigma about him. He had done some training
as far as wrestling goes.>>Yeah.
>>But wasn’t there yet, as far as the in ring ability goes. But sometimes somebody with a strong
personality that can overshadow what they do in the ring because their
personality is so strong. And it goes the other way too for people
that are really well known to be these amazing wrestlers sometimes that can
overshadow the personality part, it works both ways. But for him, I think he’s really
underrated as far as how good he is and how good he’s gotten in the ring. And for me, I’ve never seen anybody work
harder than him to get better at this craft and to be taken seriously. So to have right there
on the cusp of having the most Intercontinental Championships
in history. I mean, it’s a testament to the hard
work he’s put in and I’m a fan.>>Yeah.
>>And I think he’s he’s really underrated and I think he’s really
underrated in the ring, I think he’s really talented in the ring.>>And
you got to remember you were in early 20s.>>Yeah.
>>So you were in the back.>>[LAUGH]
>>I feel like we were all->>I feel like when you’re in your early 20s you’re just a ball of fire and you wanna-
>>You wanna prove people wrong.>>No,
it rubs off on some people the wrong way.>>Yeah.
>>And so I can relate but we, I’ll be 40 next year,
half my life I’ve worked for this company and so
I’ve grown up around guys like you. You’re one of the guys that’s been around
just about as long as me I feel like, you’ve got Ziggler, you, me,
guys are still out there.>>Still there, yeah.>>That list is dwindling down but like, I remember what he’s talking
about I remember like, drunk Miz.>>[LAUGH]
>>On the overseas tours like and that can’t, this guy but
like to see where you’ve come and what you’re doing outside of the ring and
you’re a father now and it’s cool to see what you become. So I agree with Jay with that,
that’s really cool.>>Well, after holding it eight times was
there a specific reign that stands out most to you?>>The first and the last? First, because it was
the first time I ever had it. I had a great match with Christian and it was incredible to hold that title for
the first time. It just,
all these memories came rushing back. And then the last time because it was
one of those things that I really did feel that it was pushed down in the dirt,
and we rose it to where it was main eventing live events,
it was main event in SmackDown, Raw, whatever show that I was on,
it was main eventing. And it was the talk and
the thing is like he said, the Universal Champion wasn’t there.>>Yeah.
>>But the Intercontinental title was there every single night. And that’s kind of the whole
name of the Intercontinental, it’s the workhorse title. It’s the title with the hardest
worker in the company. And I think it should still be that way. So that’s why I would say the first and
the last were the most important.>>Yeah, do you think that you would’ve
been able to bring as many eyeballs and have the WWE universe as much on the
journey that you’re going through if you didn’t have an outlet
like a Talking Smack?>>I think Talking Smack
really helped it out, 100%. It was a show that they needed
a little umph I guess you can say, and I feel like that promo gave
it the umph it needed. I got a lot of texts from a lot of people
that was just like, holy cow you went off. And honestly I look back at that promo and
I honestly look at it and go, wow, that wasn’t that good,
like I was stuttering, my mind was>>It was real though, and I remember like this went off
>>Yeah.>>Like that was good stuff dude
>>Yeah, but->>The emotion like->>Yeah.>>I’m not known for being the best
on the stake, but like when I get behind something emotionally and
I really feel what I’m saying. And I take the time to like absorb like
what’s going on and turn it into my own, that’s my best stuff. I’m stuttering and tripping over
myself and because it’s all, and that’s what it was. I remember like, what’s going on?>>But do you watch it back? Those promos you watch back,
I shouldn’t have stuttered. I wish I hadn’t have done that.>>Well we’re always critiquing.>>Yeah.
>>Yeah.>>I know some guys that won’t watch
their own matches back for years, even.I don’t know if you’re like that.>>I have to study.>>Yeah.
>>I have to watch.>>Yeah, I have to watch myself back cuz
I know there’s always things that I wanna change. They’re always small things.>>It’s funny you say that
cuz the first time I won the World Heavyweight Championship, I still
to this day haven’t watched the match.>>Really?
>>Because we’re our own worst critics.>>Yeah,
>>I remember how the feeling when I won it and the crowd’s reaction, and
when I think about the match. In my mind it was perfect, right?>>Yeah.
>>Yeah.>>And I’m a perfectionist, we all are. So if I watch it back I’m
gonna nitpick something.>>Yeah.
>>I could’ve done this different, I should’ve done that. And I don’t want to have a tainted
memory of that match at all, so I’ve never watched it back.>>Yeah, but
that’s a pretty incredible thing of over,, almost two decades to have specific
things that really stand out not just from your own career but from others,
>>Right, yeah, for sure. The guys that I came up with like,
like Jay that it’s funny I was, you know what I’m talking about,
some of the best around like every Canadian that I’ve worked with-
>>[LAUGH]>>Is awesome. And I can try and go through the long
list, even Bobby Roode, I got to work with last year for the US title,
another conversation for another day. But he just reminded me of working
with guys like Jay and Edge, and even Lance Storm, back in the day. These guys are amazing, I don’t know
what’s in the water up there, but->>[LAUGH]>>But in 2011, and I’m going off-topic here, but he and
I had some killer matches. And he gives me [BLEEP] because he’s like,
you don’t know how good you are. It’s like mom, I’m at my best when I’m working with
guys that are as amazing as he is. And there’s not many.>>Yeah.>>I’m hit or miss with my,
but like with him->>[LAUGH]>>It was hit, hit, hit, hit, hit.>>You don’t give yourself enough credit. You don’t give yourself enought credit.>>Well, just,
I’ll never forget 2011 with Christian.>>Yeah.
>>Thanks man, neither would I.>>Never, never, you know that though.>>Yeah.>>Yeah.
>>Thank you.>>I just love your smiles too, like
hearing all of this praise for each other.>>It’s hard to sit here and keep a
straight face with the cameras weren’t on->>There’d be more ball busting.>>[LAUGH]
>>Yeah.>>100%.>>That’s what I’m here for,
I don’t know about you.>>But it’s-
>>You’re here for the ball busting.>>I wanna to watch it, yeah.>>[LAUGH]
>>That’s good TV.>>[LAUGH]
>>But it’s good to hear and I’m a dad, I’m a husband now, and I’ve always kind of
been known to wear my heart on my sleeve. So I don’t mind talking about,
what makes me feel good.>>Yeah.
>>I remember, what’s the positive things in my life and both these guys I’ve
had many positive moments with.>>Yeah.>>Yeah, never forget them.>>Well, with your kids now being
of an age, where they can start to understand everything
>>How do you describe to them the legacy of your career?>>Well, it’s a little different
with me and my children. I have five children,
my youngest will be three in the fall. So she has no idea what’s going on.>>[LAUGH]
>>She’s just now learning how to drop like knees on dad. So if I’m laying there like watching TV, like at any moment I’m going
to catch a knee to the throat.>>[LAUGH]
>>My oldest daughter is 11.>>Yeah.
>>And she never really took to it. You know what I mean? She knows a dad is on TV and he wrestles
and it’s kind of it is what it is.>>Yeah.
>>It’s what dad does for a living, it’s his job. But my three sons.>>Yeah.
>>My stepsons.>>Yeah.>>When I first met them,
now they are a huge wrestling fans.>>Mm-hm.>>Like there’s old pictures of
them before I knew them wearing Jeff Hardy stuff and doing Halloween.>>[LAUGH]
>>They’re all and it’s really great. They’re huge fans, so when they found
out that Mom was dating Randy Orton.>>Yeah [LAUGH].>>Or like it’s funny because for
a while there my wife, Kim, didn’t want to stooge off the fact that
she was going to visit Randy Orton. So to all the cousins and friends when
she was leaving I was Sandy Orton. I don’t know, so we’re-
>>[LAUGH]>>We’re very incognito.>>Where are you going, Mom? Gotta go see Sandy, Sandy Orton?>>What did she do when they’re like,
let’s see pics of him? [LAUGH]
>>Yeah, no, right, well, I think Sandy was a girl at the time, but-
>>[LAUGH]>>I think that’s hilarious, but It’s so funny because they used to think I
was the coolest thing in the world. And now it’s like I’m just
step dad Randy got like, I tried to take my oldest
to baseball practice. Gosh, he was 14 13 at the time,
maybe freshman in high school, and I wanted to come in and
I wanted to like see him do something.>>Yeah.>>And I’ll be damned and he’s gonna kill
me if this makes it, he got teary eyed and was like, you can’t come. You don’t know these kids.>>[LAUGH].>>They’re gonna be. Yeah and I’m like man. Like two years ago you thought
I was the man, you know? And not anymore.>>He was embarrassed.>>Yeah.>>Was he proud that his
dad was Randy Orton, kids are gonna want your autograph and
pictures.>>When your kids grow up you’ll see,
you’ll see.>>[INAUDIBLE]
>>[LAUGH]>>[LAUGH] Yeah, the kids thing, it’s a weird dynamic in my house,
but I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.>>Does your daughter know?>>She, it’s funny because we
have these action figures and she knows the Edge and Christian one. She’ll say Uncle Adam and Daddy. And then she will play
with the action figures.>>Podcast host. [LAUGH]
>>She hasn’t figured out yet why I have these action figures. Yeah, why is there a doll? So one time we were in like Walmart or
something and we were going down the toy aisle and
there I was sitting on the thing and she’s looking at it and
then looking at me. Daddy, why are you on the shelf? She couldn’t figure out why there’s
an action figure yourself on the shelf.>>Elf on the shelf.>>Yeah, but then, you know, I happen
to be watching something on my phone. There’s a clip of a match or something and
I was watching it and she came up and I just turned it showed she’s five
she’s gonna be six in October. And she looked looked at it and
she’s like, daddy, why are you jumping around like that? And then like she heard like the you know,
the grunting and also have no such are going [SOUND] and
then she runs out of the room. And I hear the door open for the garage. So I go out and I’m like,
what is she doing out in the garage? She comes back in. She put her bike knee pads and elbow pads
on and told me to lay down on the ground. And then she jumped on me and
started trying to wrestle. And now I’m like,
okay maybe we just stop this now. Get your knee pads off, I mean,
can we just cut this out real quick?>>You loved every minute of it.>>Well, I did, but I think,
she’s a active little girl. And I think she is gonna be
a performer of some sort.>>That’s awesome.>>And but yeah, we’ll just show her again
when she can really figure out what it is. But that was kind of
our first taste of it. No, that’s incredible.>>Yeah, the whole action figure thing. I still don’t you know, sometimes we’re
like everybody else you got to get some toiletries for an overseas tour. So you go to Walgreens. And so there’s that little toy aisle. You’re like,
you’re just gonna check and look and it’s like [INAUDIBLE] you
know what I’m saying?>>[LAUGH]
>>I’m not on [INAUDIBLE] and they’ve got a bunch of me.>>[LAUGH] They only have two and
one of them is me, like it’s sweet. And you never get over it. Maybe some guys do but
like just how could you?>>You can’t help like if you’re at Target
or Walmart to walk down the toy aisle and look over and you go,
let me see who we got today.>>[LAUGH]
>>What about when you’ve been to that Target,
Walmart, or Toys R Us or whatever, but I bought my own doll before the store,
and totally the guy’s like, really? [LAUGH]
>>[LAUGH] I asked on the Internet, does anyone know how many? I wanted all my action figures.>>Yeah.>>And I was like,
does anyone have a list? Is there a list anywhere?>>Yeah.
>>I asked Ryder because Ryder is the toy guy. He’s like, there is no list, bro. There’s exclusive ones for just these
places, you’ll never get all of them. And then,
I saw some guy from Ringside Collectibles. He was like yeah, we got them. I’ll get you a list.>>How many different dolls do you have?>>There’s like a hundred.>>What?
>>Yeah, isn’t that crazy?>>That’s crazy.>>I remember my first one with
Jacks Pacific and it was like, I couldn’t believe I had my own toy.>>Jacks Pacific, yeah, yeah, yeah.>>Remember those days?>>Yeah, yeah. Well the funny thing is I’m known for
not getting new gear. Like you always have a different outfit.>>Yeah, always
>>Finally, I was with my wife at a signing in Vegas and there was a Mattel
person there doing some stuff, and she went over and she was like, hey my
husband never has new dolls coming out.>>I love that she went over there.>>Yeah, she’s like [INAUDIBLE]
>>You know she was.>>Yeah.>>And they’re like, well,
if he changed his gear. So, I was about 17, 18 years into the business before I
realized that, to get a new action figure.>>[LAUGH] You get.>>I got to change my look.>>Why do you think Rey Mysterio
has 45 million action figures?>>[LAUGH]
>>He’s on another level.>>Another level of just gear.>>My God, yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s amazing, my God,
>>Sometimes you may just change gear mid match. [LAUGH] So
is that something that you’ve considered, is changing your gear specifically to
have a new action figure come out?>>I have started to do that. Like at Mania, I had neon green and black. When I was younger I’d do like the neon
orange and the neon blue and the purple. I’m too old for that.>>[LAUGH]
>>I mean, I’m not wearing a lot. And it’s like when I was
younger it was like, yeah. Now it’s like I feel naked out there.>>[LAUGH]
>>And I like to drink beers. So it’s like I’m starting to
get that you know what I mean. Like you know who the smartest
person in this business is? Roman Reigns.>>I was going to say the vest.>>Don’t worry about anything.>>Roman, right all he has to
do is train shoulders and arms.>>Yeah.>>That’s where puffy shirt in the Brood,
all I had to do was cable crossovers because-
>>[LAUGH]>>God, he’s one of the smart and then Kevin Owens. I don’t know what’s going on there, but. For some reason he’s smart too. I don’t know what he’s got or who, but.>>I had shorts on when
I first started in WWE. I would wear shorts. I was like, I was always the quote
on quote quintessential wrestler. I wore trunks one time, and
it was to trick everyone. I had a mask on and I was trying to trick
everyone to gain a contract with WWE, cuz I got fired the week before. So I was trying to win
a contract on a pole match, so I came out as the Calgary Kid. Wore trunks for the first time, took off
the mask, held the contract up, got back. Vince calls me over, he goes,
you’ve got great legs kid, you’ve gotta wear trunks from now on. And I went-
>>No.>>No, no.>>It’s tough.>>And from then on, I wear trunks.>>Yeah, did you ever wear pants?>>I just wore shorts that
went all the way down.>>Okay,
I must be thinking of someone else. I wanna do the like the full,
wow we’re off topic.>>[LAUGH]
>>I wanna do the full legs, but I don’t have an ass. But I have the big quads, so
you gotta work with what you’ve got, you know what I’m saying. I have the cut of my trunks accentuate my
quads And then it kind of hides my ass. [LAUGH]
>>I got the Orton on the back and that little tribal thing kinda
like just hides everything and it’s like I had a pair made to
see what I look like at him. And it’s man, it was like not flattering
at all, my wife was like nope, you got to stay with the trunks.>>[LAUGH]
>>Hey.>>Yeah, I’ve got to get Roman’s guy to
get make me a bullet proof vest whatever the [INAUDIBLE] was. I’m sorry I keep cursing.>>No, not at all,
they’ll just bleep it, we’re good.>>Good.>>Yeah.
>>All right,>>[LAUGH] We are very off topic, but this has been thoroughly entertaining.>>Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.>>Very interesting beginnings for
the Intercontinental Championship and now, I think it’s over 80 different
Superstars have held the title.>>That’s it.>>Yeah.
>>I thought there would be more.>>Yeah.>>Yeah, well, for me,
the Intercontinental Championship, like I said, as a kid, I wanted to
be the Intercontinental Champion.>>Mm-hm.
>>I wanted that, so to be able to hold that title on more than
one occasion and knowing what it meant to my career, now, being retired, it excites
me when I see the young guys get a chance. And you could see that look in
their eyes when they win it, it means something to them. And so, to me that’s,
that’s pretty special. And that just shows you what
the International Championship means to this industry.>>Yeah,
I hope that the kids growing up now, have the same feeling that
we have about the IC title. It’s like you never know which title they
like as children 10 year old, 11 year old, 12, 13 however, though they are like. I wonder what title they will
literally when they grow up and become a WWE Superstar which
title is the one that they go. My God, I can’t believe I got this, because that was the time
Intercontinental title to me. So hopefully, they have the same feeling.>>That’s a hell of a goal to
try to make those children feel the same way about that
belt that you felt as a kid. And to inspire you, and then one day,
they’ll be in the ring working with you, telling you [INAUDIBLE]
the same you’re saying. My God, I can’t believe when I was six,
you were there, now, I’m here with you, and
I’m beating it for the strap.>>[LAUGH]
>>And that it’s just like total for full circle, so much in this business. It comes back around and
it’s very special to be a part of it.>>Yeah, well, I know specifically since
you’ve talked about some of your goals of wanting to be the longest reigning
Intercontinental Champion ever. Do you hope to hold that title once again?>>Yeah, I feel like what’s happened
to it before is happening to it again. So if I need to step in and take the IC
title and make it something again, then I’ll do that.>>Well,
maybe I’ll get my wind back on you, cuz I’m just saying this
throwing this out there.>>I’m technically still
the number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship.>>[LAUGH]
>>Because I was injured in a match where I won, I became the number one contender
and I never wrestled again, so technically [CROSSTALK] watch your back if
you get [CROSSTALK] coming from my win.>>One more match bro.>>One more match.>>[LAUGH]
>>Well, setting up challenges on this show. I can’t wait to see where
the Intercontinental title goes from here. Thank you guys so much for
joining us for this panel today.>>Thank you.
>>It has been a absolute pleasure.>>You got it, likewise.

This is the kind of content the online channel needs to produce more of. Cathy Kelley is the perfect person to do it, too: credible, well spoken, and sharply dressed. The fact that she also has a journalism background and clearly was prepared to conduct this roundtable made it feel like a natural conversation. It doesn't hurt these guys are all good pals away from the ring, but I think Cathy should definitely host more of these.

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did but, wow that was good! Seeing them go off the cuff, uncensored, just being genuine made this exponentially better! We need more of this realness from the WWE; I can see it being very successful.

A big part of what kills the credibility of the Intercontinental title is having TWO world/Primary titles. That just does not work for WWE. The other problem is that as soon as someone new wins the IC or U.S. titles, they usually vanish from TV or get stuck in tag team/multi-man matches or feud with someone else without the title on the line until it is time to set up the next person to win and within a month that person has the belt. Let someone win the IC or U.S. title, have several (more than one per month) successful title defenses over the course of a few months and people will start to care about these titles again.

Where is the Intercontinental Tittle from the 80's at? It should be in the middle with the late 90's version at the end. Also Christians story of getting to touch the belt is almost similar to me and it Mike McGirk, the woman ring announcer from the 80's, who let me touch it.

I like how supportive Randy is of his co-workers. He's always had that "straight shooter" thing about him where he just wears his emotions on his sleeve, and tells it like it is while dropping F bombs all over the place without a care about what anyone would say, but you can tell he's matured a lot over the years.

Huge kudos to these men getting real and talking about their limitations as much as their strengths. I love when they talk real and was actually surprised Orton owned up not being that good on the 'stick' (mic). It's nice to see their human side and you want to support them instead of pay them out for it when interviews like these are allowed by bigVinnieMac.

I met Christian when I was 9 in Memphis, TN at a Applebees I think or Outback. Either way, he is a awesome guy. He was very nice and didn't mind me and my cousin interrupting his meal. He was with Lance Storm and one more other wrestler. He definitely a great guy and H.O.Fer